PLACES are still available for the NSW Veteran Golfers Association Matchplay Championship being played in the Illawarra from June 8 to 12.

Tournament Director Dick Farrant says numbers are already up on the very successful event held in the Illawarra for the first time last year but there are still spots for both men and women.

The tournament is being played at three top south coast courses, Shellharbour Links, The Grange and Port Kembla.

The top 16 men will play off the stick for the championship and there will be at least three other handicap divisions for men and two for women.

Dick says the tournament is organised so all participants get a full week of matchplay and will end up on the Friday playing a fellow competitor with the same win/loss ratio.

Last year’s winner Tony Jones (pictured left with Ron Hall) from the Waratah Club will be defending his title along with runner-up Ron Hall from Port Kembla Golf Club.

Other low markers vying for the championship include Greg Kent (Charlestown), Joe Marumo (Federal), Bob Angus (Cumberland), Barry Bray (Liverpool), Grahame George (Charlestown), Dave Morrison (Coolangatta/Tweed), Alan Fensom (Wollongong) and Joe Smuk (Camden).

Greg Kent won the 2009 Rich River Bill Mead Memorial Matchplay when he defeated Geoff Everett (The Lakes) in the final at the nineteenth.

For further information, entry forms and contact details for Dick Farrant see the NSWVGA website.